10 Steps to Grow - Your Tips

Rich

If you haven`t visited it, we have a cool step-by-step process in this site called, "10 Steps to Grow Your Business". We are interested in including your written tips in each of the steps within that process. Pick a step (or a few) you`d like to offer your personal tip for, and write it here below (approximately 150 words in length).We will select some of them and include them in the actual 10 Steps to Grow Your Business content on our site, with a link to your profile included. We may edit the tip slightly, but will ask for permission if it requires "significant" editing.You can find examples of these kinds of tips at the links below (within another popular step-by-step process at our site). While we generated these particular tips  internally, going forward we want your real-world experiences to be in the spotlight instead!Example 1 (scroll to bottom of article)Example 2 (scroll to middle of article)Example 3 (scroll to middle of article)Thanks in advance for your contributions - it`s all in the spirit of sharing things that are tried and true and others can put to work for their own success!RichPS - this should not be primarily a product review or recommendation kind of tip. It should be more of an advice and tactics kind of tip.

tvalley

Use the Legal System when it comes to overdue accounts and late pays in your business!Collection Agencies under their normal structure, do little more than send your business debtor letters and harass them on the phone.  To be honest, they have no power to do much more.  Use your State`s court system, normally Small Claims court, to get a judgment against your customers who won`t pay up.  Once you have a court judgment in your hands, you have some very powerful tools available to collect your money.  Typically, you can garnish wages and/or bank accounts, place liens on real and/or personal property, etc.  Laws vary by state, to check with a local attorney for assistance, if required.Many states also allow for the assignment of a judgment to a third party, if you don`t want to take the collection actions yourself.  Use the legal system, it is there for you!
tvalley2007-7-26 13:8:4

PromotionsDepot

If you are going into your own business or plan on growing...
Act as if... and make it real!
*Think of a name and set up a Corporation or LLC
*Set up a filing cabinet for legal paperwork and correspondence 
*Set up a phone number and virtual receptionist
*Get some business cards printed
*Start or continue reading magazines and books related to your industry.
*Find a mentor
 
Brian Fried, 
[email protected]</A>
www.thinkupdesigns.com</A>
www.promotionsdepot.com</A>
 

PromotionsDepot2007-7-27 14:31:40

stonecat

Let your clients and prospects know what you are up to! Send out regular e-mail news blasts with links to your website. I use Constant Contact for myself and my clients. We all get rave reviews from recipients!  CC reporting lets you know who opened the       e-mail, when and how many times. Very enlightening! Communicate!

Rich

exactly the kind of stuff we`re looking for! keep it coming. whatever has worked for you to help you perform better - please share!

mcclainv

Here is a proven tip that will cost virtually nothing and requires a minimal time commitment.  Find your niche and get in touch with local Non-Profit Entities eg. Charities, Foundations, Organizations etc. which identify with your particular product or service.  Provide the individual involved with in-kind or leveraged resources and offer a vendor booth or sample product etc. for any upcoming events or gatherings.  It is virtually free PR and exposure as well as a valid tax deduction.  -Valarie K. McClain, A-Z Resources www.atozedresources.com</A>

seeker

How to get business? JUST TAKE IT! This is almost too easy.
Unfortunately the quality and integrity of the American workforce is significantly lacking. There is not much of a work ethic anymore. Some people will tell you aything to make a sale, or they will tell you what they think you want to hear. The best way I have found to get new business is to passively take it away from my competitors by simply doing what I say I will do for my customer. I don`t even have to do any thing extra because a lot of my competitors are so pathetic.
 I am in the home healthcare business and a lot of my competitors think that, because their company has the "contract" the customer HAS to do business with them. I hope they never find out that it doesn`t work that way because it`s great for my business. It is so simple... treat EVERYONE with respect at all times. Don`t lie, and if you don`t know the answer to something, don`t make the answer up - admit that you don`t know. If you do these three simple things you will probably be head and shoulders above your competition in your prospective customer`s eyes. The TRUTH will set you free (and bring you a lot of business).

Rich

just to keep this on track (and usable by us), here`s a quick reminder:If you haven`t visited it, we have a cool step-by-step process called, "10 Steps to Grow Your Business". We want to include your written tips in each of the steps. Pick a step (or a few) you`d like to offer your personal tip for, and write it here below (approximately 150 words in length).Maybe we`ll pick yours to be located in the actual 10 Steps to Grow Your Business content with a link to your profile included. We may edit the tip slightly, but will ask for permission if it requires anything "significant".Examples of tips are below (within another popular step-by-step process at our site). Example 1 (scroll to bottom of article)Example 2 (scroll to middle of article)Example 3 (scroll to middle of article)

JobYouDeserve

Step 10: Improve Sales Techniques

FRANKFRYSTAK

When outsourcing products in China or the Far East be aware of the recent increase in the VAT tax which is added to the cost of your goods prior to delivery. VAT tax varies by product classification , Range is 5% to 14%.
If outsoucing in the far east is a consideration  for lower cost be aware of the following phrases,
"No Problem, "
"Delivery is not a issue"
"Payment is only by letter of credit or wire transfer."
"We are compliant with current USA compliant issues for foreign manufactuers.
It will save you time and money to work direct with  USA based freight forwarding/custom clearance company as opposed to a agent. Make sure all samples/product are label  with made in the country of orgin,( ex, China) other wise custom will siez them.
For information on outsourcing to China, Vietnam, India, and the far east you may contact Frank Frystak At Frystak Associates. Tel 248-788-2170, [email protected]</A>
 

Rich

nice one, frank!

twenkie

Enhancing Our Customers Experience with Our Company
We are a brand new business with what we think is a very informative, easy to use and beautiful web site for our unique, fun and wonderful kitty product.  During the design and content development stage we were confident we had covered everything about our product features and other important information for our customers.  To our surprise we hadn`t.  We follow up as quickly as possible on every customer suggestion and question to answer their questions and thank them for the suggestion. We also offer to send a sample of our product to the customer who has really enlightened our thinking.  No one has turned us down, and they write back with appreciation.  Even though they may not place an order now, we believe we have left a very positive impression of the company and product with them, and, that they will be back to visit again.
 
Kittyslicker.comtwenkie2007-8-10 12:51:36

Rich

Thanks, twenkie, for the tip! all who`ve posted here:we`ve edited and added a number of your tips to the 10 Steps to Grow Your Business already. your nicknames, linked to your profiles, appear along with those tips. great promotion for you - and you deserve it!keep them comin` folks! we`ll rotate them in and out over time...rich

Rebecka

Here is a proven tip that will cost virtually nothing and requires a minimal time commitment.  Find your niche and get in touch with local Non-Profit Entities eg. Charities, Foundations, Organizations etc. which identify with your particular product or service.  Provide the individual involved with in-kind or leveraged resources and offer a vendor booth or sample product etc. for any upcoming events or gatherings.  It is virtually free PR and exposure as well as a valid tax deduction.  -Valarie K. McClain, A-Z Resources [/QUOTE]
Be careful what you are deducting. You CANNOT deduct the time for your services to a charity. You can only deduct expenses incurred while offering your services. For instance if you sent out flyers for them you could deduct the cost of the paper, envelopes, postage, etc., but not the time it took you to do it.
 

dobbie

This is a good one Karan...........as i read, my mind leaped in a way of bold decision to launch my business idea........i have a high cravings for my business idea, but i find myself subjected to my daily pay.............and can`t really figure why i cant take bold steps in facing challenges to conquer my limitations.........your tips is like a light at the end of a tunel where you find the exit to the other side..........as i write, im making plans what to do next.........
its great to be here.
 
 
maacs-nigeria
 
 

coffeestand

Network, network, network.
15 minutes per day of social networking goes along ways if you keep up with it.